Search - The Last Juror

I have read all of John Grisham's books. This is easily one of the best. The title is a little misleading, not a legal thriller. We get to know Clanton's colorful characters. They might seem a little too colorful, but as someone who lives in a small southern town, they are very realistic. I was so sad when the book was over, I wanted it to go on forever.

I loved this book! I haven't read a Grisham book in years, but picked up an audio version free so figured I'd give it a try. This is not the typical attorney-thriller, but a languid tale about the life of the young publisher of a weekly newspaper in small-town Mississippi during the 1970's. There is no mystery per se, but the book centers on the trial of a member of a controlling, reclusive, ne'er-do-well family, and its aftermath. The publisher also befriends the mother of a large family of African-Americans, all of whom have become professors in different universities throughout the country, and his tales of the food and love shared are delectable on their own. I highly recommend "reading" this in the audio version, as the reader adds immeasurably to the experience. I believe Grisham has written two other books set in this town, and I'll definitely be seeking them out.

The Last Juror by John Grisham
ISBN: 0739309005 – Unabridged – 8 cassettes – 12 hours
Read by: Michael Beck

In 1970, one of Mississippi’s more colorful weekly newspapers, The Ford County Times, went bankrupt. To the surprise and dismay of many, the ownership was assumed by a twenty-three-year-old college dropout named Willie Traynor. The future of the paper looked grim until a young mother was brutally raped and murdered by a member of the notorious Padgitt family. While Traynor reported all the gruesome details, his newspaper began to prosper.

The murderer, Danny Padgitt, was tried before a packed courthouse in Clanton, Mississippi. The trial came to a startling and dramatic end when the defendant threatened revenge against the jurors if they convicted him. Nevertheless, they found him guilty, and he was sentenced to life in prison.

But in Mississippi in 1970, “life” didn’t necessarily mean “life,” and nine years later Danny Padgitt managed to get himself paroled. He returned to Ford County, and the retribution began ……..

A Listening Pleasure

Unabridged -- 8 cassettes -- beautiful story -- very descriptive -- unexpectedly sentimental at times -- not to be missed.